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promote reading and sustain an interest in reading. These included a Summer Reading Month designed for children and their families, a series of Meet-the-Author sessions, Hong Kong Public Libraries Reading Clubs for Teens and Families and the Hong Kong Book Prize.
Creative competitions under the title 'China Today' were held to celebrate the '4.23 World Book Day' and the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China. Another programme marking the celebration was a series of lectures under the title 'China Today'.
A roving exhibition and book display were mounted to mark the launching of the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong.
During 2009, HKPL continued its series of special programmes and competitions. to promote creative writing and appreciation of literature. These included the 10th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature, a Chinese Poetry Writing Competition and another competition involving story writing in Chinese. It also joined other organisations in holding territory-wide reading sessions for the general public.
Cultural Exchange
In 2009, Hong Kong's public libraries co-operated and strengthened ties with their counterparts elsewhere, in exchanging library news and matters of mutual interest. An exhibition, 'Contemporary Picture Book Illustration in Germany', was jointly organised with the Goethe-Institute in Hong Kong to introduce the work of 13 leading German illustrators. The HKPL and Shenzhen Library also held creative writing competitions to celebrate '4.23 World Book Day' in which Shenzhen's winning entries were displayed alongside those of Hong Kong.
Books Registration Office
The Books Registration Office helps preserve Hong Kong's literary heritage by registering local publications and administering the application of International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and monitor its use under the system. It publishes a catalogue of books printed in Hong Kong in the Government Gazette on a quarterly basis and this may also be accessed through the Internet. In 2009, the office registered 13 283 books, 12 525 periodicals, and issued 11 510 ISBNs for 845 publishers.
Sports and Recreation
Hong Kong people are increasingly taking up sports and using public recreational facilities. The LCSD develops and manages these facilities, which include sports grounds, playgrounds, sports centres, holiday camps, water sports centres, swimming pools and beaches. It also organises training courses, sporting competitions and other activities for people of all ages and abilities, and encourages passive recreation by providing parks and landscaped open spaces for people to enjoy.
In addition, the LCSD provides subventions to 25 holiday camps and sea activity centres run by 12 non-governmental organisations. Some 752 300 people